Chapter thirteen
Boar worked quickly, and before too long everyone that needed to hear was buzzing with the news of the Ring. Slowly they dropped from the social, their gait steady and secretive, and made their way to the Grove. When they arrived, benches had been set up in front of the nine pillars surrounding the clearing, and each was obliged to take a seat. Galadriel sat in her usual spot, onto top of a massive tree root. Lis was seated on a small pillow in the middle of the clearing, Lee whispering lowly by her side.
Soon the clearing was filled with all that needed to fill it, and Lee was obliged to take to his own bench, leaving Lis alone and the scrutiny of ten pairs of friendly, but confused eyes.
"Drili, what's this we hear about the Ring being found? Where is it?" Pippin spoke up, and the clearing was filled with mumbles along a similar vein of questioning. Through it all, Lee and Boar remained silent, each one eyeing the other precariously.
Galadriel held up her hand and the clamor stopped.
"True, the ring has been found."
"And did it lie with Lis as you said it would?" Strider asked, Arwen routinely by his side.
"Yes, Lis has discovered she was in possession of it."
"Finally…" Gimli sighed, and Boar and Lee both shot him a silencing look.
"But Drili," Arwen spoke up, "If Lis had it, why didn't she know it until now? Where was it hiding from her?"
All eyes were now on Lis, and she answered in a soft voice.
"Well, the truth is, I am the Ring." she ventured, receiving gasps from most.
"You are… the Ring?" Gimli stuttered. "That's impossible."
The company nodded in agreement.
"It's not sound for the Ring to be reformed as a human," Sam said.
"Nonetheless, it is the truth." Drili said. The group fell silent as an awed hush fell over them. If Drili said it, it was gospel, however outlandish it might seem.
"I can't believe it…" Frodo breathed. He looked her over quietly, dumbstruck.
"Well, what is to happen now?" Strider asked. Boar and Lee sat up now, suddenly interested.
"That is why you have been reassembled," Drili explained. "The fate of Middle Earth once more hangs in the balance."
"That is ridiculous!" Merry chuckled. "Do you mean to say that just because Lis has figured out who she really is, that the end of the world is pre-eminent?"
"Tell me of your dreams, Merry." Drili asked quietly. Merry's face fell.
"My dreams?"
"Yes, your dreams, Merry. All of you. Do not tell me you haven't been having bizarre dreams lately." She looked over the Fellowship and they each began to nod. "You are remembering who you are. The past is being made shown to you. But, do you think that you are the only ones who are reawakening?"
"Mordor too is beginning to stir. Sauron is beginning to remember all that you are, and that means Lis is in danger." Lee straightened at these words. His eyes locked with Lis's, which shined with the threat of tears.
"What are we to do then?" He asked, his voice shaky.
"We must keep her here." Strider answered assuredly. "Mordor cannot come to Rivendell, Mr. E forbids it. We need only to make sure she never leaves these grounds and she is safe."
"At what price?" Frodo spoke. "You would make her a prisoner here? And what happens when we graduate? We cannot stay here. What then? What is the Ring without the Fellowship… and its ring bearer…" Frodo grinned sheepishly down at her, and Lis smiled back, glad for a friend.
"What do you propose then?" Boromir asked. "Should we all move in together and keep her with us?"
"Sounds good to me." Pippin joked. Boromir silently agreed with him.
"Drili," Frodo asked, "How can we be sure Mordor is awakening? And if it is, why should we suspect they know about Lis?"
"Sauron knows. He's known for a while. In fact, I believe it was the Ring that reawakened him." Drili's eyes beat down on Lis and she understood. Her bruises were a sign of his past. His shadows. She had been lucky though. She never knew the full extent of his cruelty, though in the brief moments of solitude that she found, daydreams of fires and screams in the darkness riddled her thoughts. Her past was such a disembodied thing. It was like she was watching the world pass her by, but she felt nothing about it. She didn't care about the blood that splashed onto her, the mud she was dragged through, the fires she was forged in, none of it mattered. Nothing mattered. The complaisance frightened Lis.
Lee watched Lis precariously. He knew what Drili was talking about and almost jumped out of his seat when he saw Lis squirm uneasily.
"So, what's the plan?" he said, trying to take the attention off of her, for a little while.
"I say we keep her." Strider said. The hobbits nodded in approval, as did Gimli and Arwen. Frodo and Boar didn't move.
"I just don't like the idea of keeping her cooped up here for the rest of her days is all. I mean, she never asked for this."
"Neither did we, Frodo," Gimli burst out suddenly. "I know I certainly never wanted to be in a Fellowship. Hell, I didn't even know there was such a thing. None of here are warriors, well, maybe Strider is," he smiled, and Arwen gave a small chuckle, "But we have a destiny. So does she. I know it's hard for her," Gimli stopped and looked at Lis, his face softening. "I know this is difficult for you Lis, but I swear to you, we will take care of you." He returned his attentions to the circle. "As far as I can tell, we did a hell of a job taking care of the Ring in the old days, and I'll be damned if we slip up this time. I had never wanted to spend my time doing anything but playing soccer. But there's a higher calling now. We have an obligation to the world, as well as to ourselves, to behave as the true dignitaries we are. There's strength in all of us, the likes of which we can only imagine. We owe it to ourselves to find it. And I say Lis is a fine reason to test it. So, what'd ya say?"
The Fellowship looked at Gimli, dumbfounded. He was never given to talking much at all, and when he did it was only brusque comments and rude scoffs. Such inspirational words were not something he was thought to be capable of. Perhaps that was why they rallied the way they did. The minute he stopped talking, Strider jumped to his feet, and kneeled before Lis.
"I give you my word, no harm shall come to you at Rivendell, or anywhere."
The hobbits scurried over next, following Strider's lead.
"Us too," they all said in unison.
"We will watch over you," Merry said, winking at her.
"Your fate is mine, Lis." Frodo all but whispered to her, smiling lightly.
"I promise you my loyalty as well." It was Gimli's turn as he took a knee next to Frodo.
Boar calmly strode over and joined the quickly forming circle, his eyes intently gazing at her.
"You have whatever is good in me. I promise you my loyalty and protection, and anything else you may need. I am yours to command."
Lis smiled at boar, awestruck. His words cut her, and she found herself forgiving him for everything. His eyes promised far more than his words did, and she found that she could always trust his eyes.
Lee was the only one not kneeling. He looked at Lis for a while, his face strangely calm. She wondered what he was thinking, sometimes it was hard to tell. He slowly got up and made his way to the circle, kneeling like the rest. His movements seemed graceful, but he was always graceful. Purposeful perhaps? Like a man who knew what he wanted. But that face, that beautiful face was calm, clear. She couldn't tell anything of him. Until he took her hand in his and pressed his lips against her knuckles. So soft, she though. She watched him, mesmerized, oblivious to the fact that everyone else was watching as well.
"Till death." He whispered into her skin, his eyes fixed on her as he pulled away and joined the others. Lis blushed slightly as she looked about the circle, and a thin misting of tears glimmered in her eyes.
"You are all too good." She managed through a sob-threatened voice.
"Nonsense," Merry boomed good-naturedly. "We look after our own. And Ring or no Ring, you're in with us. Whether you wanna be or not." Merry smiled broadly. Lis looked about the clearing and found smiling faces nodding in violent agreement with Merry. Arwen took this opportunity to swoop down from her spot on the bench and tackled Lis, the pair falling to the soft grass laughing.
"You know, you're the closest thing to a sister I've ever had?" Lis breathed through her laughing tears. Arwen smiled gently at her and hugged her tightly, laughing.
"And now, my gallants, I think its time for sleeping. Leave all this talk for another day." Drili announced as she felt her way out of the tree root. Boar rushed to her side this time and helped her out of the Grove, both of them mumbling goodnights, Boar's eyes resting heavily on Lis.
The company dispersed quietly, an air of peaceful contentment hanging still in the air. Now that the Ring was found, and Lis had been brought into the family, a load seemed to lift from everyone's mind, especially Lis's. Lee took Lis's arm, as everyone else seemed to disappear into the trees, steering her for the familiar path back to Avalon.
"You've had a busy day, eh?" he asked quietly, his usual gentle smile playing across his features.
Lis answered with a yawn, to which Lee laughed.
"Yes, my princess, I think its' time for you t go to bed."
Lis nodded sleepily and leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and letting him lead her.
Lee looked down at her, and sighed, his breath quivery. Why me? He thought to himself. How in the world am I to keep her?
"Keep her safe…" The wind seemed to whistle through the trees, and Lee nodded, his eyes clear with focus now.
As they left the Grove, the wind picked up, rustling the leaves loudly, almost in a tempest like fashion. Lee and Lis had long left the woods before the storm hit, and as they slept peacefully, neither saw the shadow pass that darkened even the night sky.
Boar worked quickly, and before too long everyone that needed to hear was buzzing with the news of the Ring. Slowly they dropped from the social, their gait steady and secretive, and made their way to the Grove. When they arrived, benches had been set up in front of the nine pillars surrounding the clearing, and each was obliged to take a seat. Galadriel sat in her usual spot, onto top of a massive tree root. Lis was seated on a small pillow in the middle of the clearing, Lee whispering lowly by her side.
Soon the clearing was filled with all that needed to fill it, and Lee was obliged to take to his own bench, leaving Lis alone and the scrutiny of ten pairs of friendly, but confused eyes.
"Drili, what's this we hear about the Ring being found? Where is it?" Pippin spoke up, and the clearing was filled with mumbles along a similar vein of questioning. Through it all, Lee and Boar remained silent, each one eyeing the other precariously.
Galadriel held up her hand and the clamor stopped.
"True, the ring has been found."
"And did it lie with Lis as you said it would?" Strider asked, Arwen routinely by his side.
"Yes, Lis has discovered she was in possession of it."
"Finally…" Gimli sighed, and Boar and Lee both shot him a silencing look.
"But Drili," Arwen spoke up, "If Lis had it, why didn't she know it until now? Where was it hiding from her?"
All eyes were now on Lis, and she answered in a soft voice.
"Well, the truth is, I am the Ring." she ventured, receiving gasps from most.
"You are… the Ring?" Gimli stuttered. "That's impossible."
The company nodded in agreement.
"It's not sound for the Ring to be reformed as a human," Sam said.
"Nonetheless, it is the truth." Drili said. The group fell silent as an awed hush fell over them. If Drili said it, it was gospel, however outlandish it might seem.
"I can't believe it…" Frodo breathed. He looked her over quietly, dumbstruck.
"Well, what is to happen now?" Strider asked. Boar and Lee sat up now, suddenly interested.
"That is why you have been reassembled," Drili explained. "The fate of Middle Earth once more hangs in the balance."
"That is ridiculous!" Merry chuckled. "Do you mean to say that just because Lis has figured out who she really is, that the end of the world is pre-eminent?"
"Tell me of your dreams, Merry." Drili asked quietly. Merry's face fell.
"My dreams?"
"Yes, your dreams, Merry. All of you. Do not tell me you haven't been having bizarre dreams lately." She looked over the Fellowship and they each began to nod. "You are remembering who you are. The past is being made shown to you. But, do you think that you are the only ones who are reawakening?"
"Mordor too is beginning to stir. Sauron is beginning to remember all that you are, and that means Lis is in danger." Lee straightened at these words. His eyes locked with Lis's, which shined with the threat of tears.
"What are we to do then?" He asked, his voice shaky.
"We must keep her here." Strider answered assuredly. "Mordor cannot come to Rivendell, Mr. E forbids it. We need only to make sure she never leaves these grounds and she is safe."
"At what price?" Frodo spoke. "You would make her a prisoner here? And what happens when we graduate? We cannot stay here. What then? What is the Ring without the Fellowship… and its ring bearer…" Frodo grinned sheepishly down at her, and Lis smiled back, glad for a friend.
"What do you propose then?" Boromir asked. "Should we all move in together and keep her with us?"
"Sounds good to me." Pippin joked. Boromir silently agreed with him.
"Drili," Frodo asked, "How can we be sure Mordor is awakening? And if it is, why should we suspect they know about Lis?"
"Sauron knows. He's known for a while. In fact, I believe it was the Ring that reawakened him." Drili's eyes beat down on Lis and she understood. Her bruises were a sign of his past. His shadows. She had been lucky though. She never knew the full extent of his cruelty, though in the brief moments of solitude that she found, daydreams of fires and screams in the darkness riddled her thoughts. Her past was such a disembodied thing. It was like she was watching the world pass her by, but she felt nothing about it. She didn't care about the blood that splashed onto her, the mud she was dragged through, the fires she was forged in, none of it mattered. Nothing mattered. The complaisance frightened Lis.
Lee watched Lis precariously. He knew what Drili was talking about and almost jumped out of his seat when he saw Lis squirm uneasily.
"So, what's the plan?" he said, trying to take the attention off of her, for a little while.
"I say we keep her." Strider said. The hobbits nodded in approval, as did Gimli and Arwen. Frodo and Boar didn't move.
"I just don't like the idea of keeping her cooped up here for the rest of her days is all. I mean, she never asked for this."
"Neither did we, Frodo," Gimli burst out suddenly. "I know I certainly never wanted to be in a Fellowship. Hell, I didn't even know there was such a thing. None of here are warriors, well, maybe Strider is," he smiled, and Arwen gave a small chuckle, "But we have a destiny. So does she. I know it's hard for her," Gimli stopped and looked at Lis, his face softening. "I know this is difficult for you Lis, but I swear to you, we will take care of you." He returned his attentions to the circle. "As far as I can tell, we did a hell of a job taking care of the Ring in the old days, and I'll be damned if we slip up this time. I had never wanted to spend my time doing anything but playing soccer. But there's a higher calling now. We have an obligation to the world, as well as to ourselves, to behave as the true dignitaries we are. There's strength in all of us, the likes of which we can only imagine. We owe it to ourselves to find it. And I say Lis is a fine reason to test it. So, what'd ya say?"
The Fellowship looked at Gimli, dumbfounded. He was never given to talking much at all, and when he did it was only brusque comments and rude scoffs. Such inspirational words were not something he was thought to be capable of. Perhaps that was why they rallied the way they did. The minute he stopped talking, Strider jumped to his feet, and kneeled before Lis.
"I give you my word, no harm shall come to you at Rivendell, or anywhere."
The hobbits scurried over next, following Strider's lead.
"Us too," they all said in unison.
"We will watch over you," Merry said, winking at her.
"Your fate is mine, Lis." Frodo all but whispered to her, smiling lightly.
"I promise you my loyalty as well." It was Gimli's turn as he took a knee next to Frodo.
Boar calmly strode over and joined the quickly forming circle, his eyes intently gazing at her.
"You have whatever is good in me. I promise you my loyalty and protection, and anything else you may need. I am yours to command."
Lis smiled at boar, awestruck. His words cut her, and she found herself forgiving him for everything. His eyes promised far more than his words did, and she found that she could always trust his eyes.
Lee was the only one not kneeling. He looked at Lis for a while, his face strangely calm. She wondered what he was thinking, sometimes it was hard to tell. He slowly got up and made his way to the circle, kneeling like the rest. His movements seemed graceful, but he was always graceful. Purposeful perhaps? Like a man who knew what he wanted. But that face, that beautiful face was calm, clear. She couldn't tell anything of him. Until he took her hand in his and pressed his lips against her knuckles. So soft, she though. She watched him, mesmerized, oblivious to the fact that everyone else was watching as well.
"Till death." He whispered into her skin, his eyes fixed on her as he pulled away and joined the others. Lis blushed slightly as she looked about the circle, and a thin misting of tears glimmered in her eyes.
"You are all too good." She managed through a sob-threatened voice.
"Nonsense," Merry boomed good-naturedly. "We look after our own. And Ring or no Ring, you're in with us. Whether you wanna be or not." Merry smiled broadly. Lis looked about the clearing and found smiling faces nodding in violent agreement with Merry. Arwen took this opportunity to swoop down from her spot on the bench and tackled Lis, the pair falling to the soft grass laughing.
"You know, you're the closest thing to a sister I've ever had?" Lis breathed through her laughing tears. Arwen smiled gently at her and hugged her tightly, laughing.
"And now, my gallants, I think its time for sleeping. Leave all this talk for another day." Drili announced as she felt her way out of the tree root. Boar rushed to her side this time and helped her out of the Grove, both of them mumbling goodnights, Boar's eyes resting heavily on Lis.
The company dispersed quietly, an air of peaceful contentment hanging still in the air. Now that the Ring was found, and Lis had been brought into the family, a load seemed to lift from everyone's mind, especially Lis's. Lee took Lis's arm, as everyone else seemed to disappear into the trees, steering her for the familiar path back to Avalon.
"You've had a busy day, eh?" he asked quietly, his usual gentle smile playing across his features.
Lis answered with a yawn, to which Lee laughed.
"Yes, my princess, I think its' time for you t go to bed."
Lis nodded sleepily and leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and letting him lead her.
Lee looked down at her, and sighed, his breath quivery. Why me? He thought to himself. How in the world am I to keep her?
"Keep her safe…" The wind seemed to whistle through the trees, and Lee nodded, his eyes clear with focus now.
As they left the Grove, the wind picked up, rustling the leaves loudly, almost in a tempest like fashion. Lee and Lis had long left the woods before the storm hit, and as they slept peacefully, neither saw the shadow pass that darkened even the night sky.